WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) proudly invited Mike Oestmann, the President and CEO of Tall City Exploration, to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulatory overreach. Oestmann provided a poignant testimony about how detrimental EPA regulations are to small producers.
“I am extremely proud that Mike Oestmann made the trip from Midland, Texas, to testify in Washington, D.C., about the negative impacts of the federal government’s heavy hand on the energy industry,” Pfluger said in a news release. “Mike gave an impactful first-hand account of how private companies from small to large producers are already leading the way in lowering harmful emissions without the heavy hand of the federal government.”
In his testimony, Oestmann said: “I have spent most of my career in Midland, raised our children there, and plan to continue to live there, enjoying the good weather, and the clean air and water. As almost all operators do, Tall City prided itself on producing oil and gas cleanly, safely and on ensuring that we complied with the wide range of laws and regulations currently in place. I understand the need for addressing environmental protection while achieving economic success in oil and gas production, but there is a right way and a wrong way to approach the issue. Intelligently leveraging company and government resources in ways that make sense and actually create beneficial results are supported by all of us. Which brings me to why I am here today and I believe the important focus of today’s hearing: putting a spotlight on the seeming regulatory overreach of the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) as it relates to methane regulation and the likely adverse impact on small to medium producers, with little or no apparent measurable environmental benefit.
Watch the hearing below or read Oestmann’s full testimony here.
Under Oestmann’s leadership, Tall City Exploration has grown from three employees and no production in early 2012, to 35 employees producing 25,000 barrels of oil equivalent in 2023.
